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Published by Fort Worth Star-Telegram Given the nature of our third branch of government, the United States Supreme Court, the ruling is no surprise. Before the court goes after the gay marriage, interracial marriage and a woman’s right to vote, on Monday morning it ruled in favor of the high school football coach who took a knee to pray. As it should. One of the details that makes America America is the right to take a knee, and peacefully express themselves for whatever the reason. That includes taking a knee to protest the treatment of Black Americans by law enforcement or taking a knee to pray to God after a football game. If … Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com In 1972, the year before Roe v. Wade was decided, 130,000 American women obtained illegal or self-induced abortions, according to the Centers for Disease Control. They risked infections, bleeding, and sterility. Some of them died. We are not going back to that, no matter what this radical Supreme Court says, because the landscape has changed. There are pills now that can safely do the job, and now account for more than half of all abortions. That changes things. But what is to be done about states, like Texas, that are building the legal machinery to prosecute those who help Texan women obtain… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Cara Delevingne loves being able to “represent” the queer community in ‘Only Murders in the Building’. The 29-year-old model – who identifies as pansexual and is currently thought to be dating singer Minke – stars as Selena Gomez’s love interest Alice in the second season of the show and admitted that she and the former Disney Channel actress had such an “easy” time together on set. She said: “It was honestly the best project I’ve ever done. I just didn’t want it to end. I really loved being able to represent the queer community. It was so easy and safe.[Selena and I] already have that relationship in terms of comfortability. But honestly, it was the best set to ever work on, it was so hard to end… it should just continue forever.” Cara was already a big fan of the show before she landed her role because she thinks the writing is so clever. She said: “The story that they write and how it unfolds, it’s just never expected and that’s what I love so much because I’m usually pretty good at that stuff and I really have still never got it right.” Meanwhile, pop star Selena, 29, – who has played the role of true crime obsessive Mabel on the mystery-comedy since it began in 2021 – echoed her new co-star’s thoughts and enjoyed working with Cara because they have been friends for several years. She told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “I’ve known her for so many years. It was honestly like working with a childhood friend. I just enjoyed it. She’s hilarious!” Cara is to star as sophisticated New York City art world insider Alice on the show, who becomes embroiled in the apartment building’s ongoing murder puzzles and will also be seen on screen alongside other regulars Steve Martin and Martin Short when the season premieres on Hulu this week. View the full article

Published by AFP Nadine Seiler was one of thousands of protesters attending weekend rallies for and against abortion rights across the United States Washington (AFP) – The US Supreme Court’s ruling ending the nationwide right to abortion was one of the most seismic domestic political shifts in a generation — upending the crucial midterm elections that will decide who controls Congress next year. Republicans are celebrating the culmination of almost 50 years of activism around the argument that Roe v. Wade — the 1973 landmark ruling guaranteeing federal protection of abortion rights — was wrongly decided. Democrats, too, have been galvanized by the scrapping of half a century of reproductive rights, and by fears Republicans will go further and introduce a federal abortion ban if they retake Congress — threatening legal access nationwide. Democratic President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi set out what they see as the stakes on Friday, with both saying abortion would be “on the ballot” in November. The issue has traditionally animated conservatives more than liberals but the Supreme Court may permanently have altered the political topography, analysts say. “By striking down Roe, this is likely to create a new constituency of pro-choice voters who are activated to turn out and donate in ways that they would not normally in a midterm election,” Shana Gadarian, a professor of political science at Syracuse University, told AFP. “The Roe decision not only has a major effect on the midterm elections, but it paved the way for greater implications on human rights as a whole,” Democratic political strategist Amani Wells-Onyioha added. “The conservative right has made it clear that it intends on coming for contraception, the LGBT+ community, and African Americans next.” Mixed messaging A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll out Monday showed a whopping 78 percent of Democrats believe the court’s decision made them more likely to vote in November — 24 points higher than Republicans. Democrats are leveraging this and several recent similar polls to make the case that the position adopted by Republicans across the country is far outside of the mainstream. The party sees it as galvanizing for its liberal base but also, according to Democratic pollster Carly Cooperman, a mobilizing issue for the moderate suburban women the party is trying to peel away from the Republicans in battleground House districts. “Republicans will do everything possible to turn the conversation back to inflation, the economy, and high gas prices,” Cooperman told AFP. “At a time when Democrats have consistently shown less enthusiasm for the midterms compared to Republicans, the question will be how much the court’s ruling will narrow this gap.” Gerard Filitti, senior counsel at the New York-based Lawfare Project think tank, argues that Democrats may be able to reframe the midterms as a battle over fundamental rights rather than the cost of living. “Concern over civil rights may well trump concerns over the economy, and the Republicans are no longer assured a clear path to victory in the November midterms,” he said. The Republicans’ messaging has been mixed, with many members of Congress and state governors rushing to celebrate a historic victory while others prefer to keep the focus on the cost of living and economic uncertainty. ‘Win for life’ Republican leader and former president Donald Trump called the decision “the biggest win for life in a generation” while Adam Laxalt, the Republican Senate nominee in Nevada, said the issue “won’t distract voters from unaffordable prices, rising crime or the border crisis.” The decision set off a frenzy of activity on both sides, with at least eight states imposing immediate bans and a similar number expected to follow suit within weeks. Dozens of arrests were reported during a weekend of nationwide protest — although incidents of violence and vandalism were isolated. Mississippi, Utah and Louisiana have been hit with lawsuits seeking to block their bans. The plaintiff in Mississippi, abortion provider Planned Parenthood, said it will spend $150 million on the midterm elections, alongside NARAL Pro-Choice America and Emily’s List. In Congress, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested that a federal ban would be “possible,” although he has also acknowledged that no position on the issue has ever achieved the upper chamber’s 60-vote threshold. “It will be important to see how Republican candidates campaign after this Supreme Court decision,” Lyle Solomon, a California-based principal attorney at Oak View Law Group, told AFP. “If they campaign on abortion restrictions and focus a lot on the Supreme Court decision being a victory, it may backfire on them. On the other hand, Democrats will be looking to take full advantage of the Supreme Court decision and rally voters around the message of abortion rights and access to safe abortion.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Elliot Page has applauded producers of his show ‘The Umbrella Academy’ for the way they handled the transgender storyline. The 35-year-old ‘Juno’ star came out as a trans man back in 2020 and his character on the Netflix hit, Viktor Hargreeves, has also transitioned with Elliot insisting the story was handled sensitively and packed a real emotional punch. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he explained: “I think one of the most special things about this is how it’s handled. It’s not void of emotional moments … I’m experiencing all that, because I’ve stepped into this moment where I’m a trans person and perceived that way, and having all these new experiences I didn’t have before. “Then these scenes were resonating with that, which was really incredible. We don’t see that when we’re not in control of our stories a lot of the time. So it felt really special.” ‘The Umbrella Academy’ showrunner Steve Blackman added they are hoping to continue Viktor’s journey in future episodes, saying: “We have ideas for what we’d like to do if we’re lucky enough for Season 4. “What I thought was nice is that it didn’t become the storyline of the show, and with these lovely people that you’re talking to, we were able to craft something that felt very balanced and real, authentic. We want to continue to do that going forward.” The show has run for three seasons on Netflix with the latest instalment currently available to screen. It’s not yet known whether ‘The Umbrella Academy’ will return for a fourth run. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Chris Hemsworth used a sock to preserve his modesty during his Thor nude scene. The actor strips off in a saucy segment for new superhero film ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and he’s now revealed he bared almost all on set aside from a tiny garment which he used to spare most of his blushes. During an appearance on US TV show ‘The Project’ on Monday (26.06.22), Chris was asked if he was given a “modesty garment” for the scene and he replied: “A sock. Just a sock.” The actor was being interviewed alongside the film’s director Taika Waititi and co-star Russell Crowe, and the star joked the two men joined him stripping off on-set. He said of Russell: “He does a great thing where he’s also naked from the waist down. That made me feel at ease.” Taika then added: “On set, it’s an agreement we have. I was naked too,” with Chris chiming in saying: “Taika took his pants off.” The director also joked that Chris didn’t understand the modesty sock and wore it on his ear instead, adding: “He wears a sock on one ear. That’s his thing. He thinks it’s a distraction.” Chris embarked on a gruelling health and fitness regime to get in shape for the role in the latest Thor sequel and said the nude scene was more than a decade in the making. He told Entertainment Tonight’: “I mean, it was kind of 10, 11 years in the making, that shot. “In each film we’ve taken off another item of clothing, and now we just kind of took it all off.” He added to Variety: “Well, I had (my butt) out in (2013 film) Rush many years ago, but in a Marvel film, it was a very large screen, it was a very big pair of cheeks.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Sarah Huckabee Sanders came under intense scrutiny over the weekend after she celebrated the reversal of Roe v. Wade during a rally in Arkansas, Radar has confirmed. The 39-year-old ex-White House press secretary held a rally on Sunday after winning the GOP primary for governor of Arkansas, and during the event, she made a bizarre comment about women’s abortion rights while simultaneously ignoring the mass school shootings plaguing the nation. Mega “We will make sure that when a kid is in the womb, they’re as safe as they are in a classroom, the workplace, a nursing home,” Sanders proclaimed, “because every stage of life has value. No one greater than the other.” Immediately following the untimely comment, social media was set ablaze with backlash and fervor over Sanders’ “insensitive” and “tone-deaf” comment. “Ah yes, classrooms in 2022, famous for safety,” one person sarcastically responded on Twitter. “I told my husband and he said, ‘everyone is misunderstanding. She means that pregnant women will be more likely to get shot.’ It makes more sense his way,” another user tweeted. “I’m not convinced that’s the winning line she thinks it is!” a third person wrote. Mega Sanders came under fire for her comment not only because of the recent anger and controversy over the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade on Friday but also because of the Robb Elementary School shooting that took place in Uvalde, Texas. As RadarOnline.com previously reported, an 18-year-old named Salvador Ramos entered the Uvalde elementary school on May 24 and fatally shot 19 young students and two teachers. The heartbreaking tragedy brought renewed focus to school shootings and created a renewed push for gun reform throughout the country. But, despite the tragedy and the controversy over SCOTUS’ decision on Friday, Sanders still chose to make the bizarre comparison while rallying her crowd. Mega “Over 200 mass shootings in America this year,” one angry Twitter user wrote. “More than 2 dozen school shootings. 19 dead kids in Uvalde. Guns are the leading cause of death of kids in America.” Even celebrities picked up on the irony of Sanders’ comment. Musician Sheryl Crow rushed to Twitter to call out the former WH press secretary for her outrageous comment. “This is the kind of hypocrisy that sways other people to become hypocrites,” Crow wrote. “The irony of her statement is such a joke that it scares me. And I certainly hope that the citizens of Arkansas are not stupid enough to fall for her rhetoric.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nate Raymond (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday made it harder for prosecutors to win convictions of doctors accused of running “pill mills” and excessively prescribing opioids and other addictive drugs by requiring the government to prove that defendants knew their prescriptions had no legitimate medical purpose. The 9-0 ruling, authored by liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, sided with Xiulu Ruan and Shakeel Kahn, who argued that their trials were unfair because jurors were not required to consider whether the two convicted doctors had “good faith” reasons to believe the numerous opioid prescriptions were medically valid. While both doctors were registered under the a U.S. law called the Controlled Substances Act to prescribe such drugs to their patients, prosecutors at their trials argued that the prescriptions fell outside the usual course of professional practice. Breyer, who is retiring at the end of the court’s current term in the coming days, wrote that once the doctors produced evidence that they were authorized to dispense drugs like opioids, prosecutors needed to prove they knowingly or intentionally acted in an unauthorized manner. Breyer said a decision by a doctor registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration to intentionally prescribe addictive drugs in an unauthorized way would be illegal, not the prescriptions themselves. “We normally would not view such dispensations as inherently illegitimate; we expect, and indeed usually want, doctors to prescribe the medications that their patients need,” Breyer wrote. The justices, though, declined to decide whether jurors were sufficiently instructed in Ruan’s and Kahn’s cases or, if not, whether the mistakes were harmless. The Supreme Court sent the cases back to two federal appeals courts that had upheld the convictions for further proceedings based on Monday’s ruling. Justice Samuel Alito, writing on behalf of himself and fellow conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Amy Coney Barrett, said he agreed with the decision’s bottom-line result but said its reasoning could result in “confusion.” The United States for more than two decades has struggled with an opioid epidemic that, according to federal health officials, has claimed the lives of more than a half million Americans. States have sued drug companies and pharmacies to hold them liable, but another key element in the public health crisis has been the role of doctors in prescribing massive volumes of the highly addictive pain medication. Some doctors have been accused of turning their medical practices into “pill mills” – routinely prescribing controlled substances without a medical necessity and outside the bounds of a normal professional practice. Ruan, who practiced in Alabama, and Kahn, who practiced in Arizona and then Wyoming, were sentenced to 21 and 25 years in prison, respectively, in separate criminal cases. Prosecutors said Ruan with a business partner ran a clinic in Mobile that issued nearly 300,000 controlled-substance prescriptions from 2011 to 2015 and was one of the top U.S. prescribers of certain fentanyl-based pain medications. Prosecutors said he accepted kickbacks from drugmaker Insys Therapeutics Inc to prescribe a fentanyl spray to patients. Insys’ founder, John Kapoor, was later convicted of conspiring to bribe doctors including Ruan to prescribe the drug and defraud insurers into paying for it. The Supreme Court on June 13 rejected Kapoor’s bid to overturn his conviction. Prosecutors said Kahn regularly sold prescriptions for cash and unlawfully prescribed large amounts of opioid pills, resulting in at least one patient dying of an overdose. Lawyers for the doctors did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Justice Department declined to comment. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by Radar Online RICHARD ELLIS/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency WNBA star Brittney Grinerlooked rattled with nerves as she awaits her fate for allegedly carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil through Moscow airport security in February. The imprisoned Phoenix Mercury star, 31, appeared in a Russian courtroom on Monday for a preliminary hearing ahead of her trial, which is now set to begin on Friday, July 1, Radar can confirm. RICHARD ELLIS/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency She was shackled in photos obtained by Daily Mail and will remain in custody until the trial ends, her lawyer, Aleksandr Boikov, confirmed. The 6-foot-9 athlete could be seen surrounded by prison guards ahead of her courtroom appearance. The drug charges against her carry a sentence of up to 10 years in a penal colony. Her release seemed unlikely following a recent Keir Simmons interview, during which Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s top spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, shut down the State Department’s position that she was wrongfully detained and could be viewed as a hostage. Peskov argued that “hundreds and hundreds of Russian citizens that were sentenced for carrying hashish.” “Why should we make an exemption for a foreign citizen?” he asked. “She violated Russian law, and now she’s being prosecuted,” Peskov continued. “It’s not about being a hostage. There are lots of American citizens here. They’re enjoying their freedoms … but you have to obey the laws.” Bill Shettle/Cal Sport Media/Newscom/The Mega Agency Griner was arrested on February 17, RadarOnline.com reported, after traveling to the country to participate in their professional female basketball league. She was accused of smuggling drugs into Russia after a hashish oil vape pen was allegedly found in her luggage and was quickly detained by authorities. The Olympic gold medalist’s serious legal woes have rocked her family, including her wife, Cherelle Griner, who said they have only been able to chat “sporadically” through letters as they fight for her release. Stacey Wescott/TNS/Newscom/The Mega Agency “I’m trusting her lawyers,” Cherelle said during an interview with Good Morning America. “‘How does she look? How is her spirit? How is her energy?’ I’m just asking all those questions, trying to just get some type of indication or vibe.” View the full article

Published by Al-Araby An investigation has been opened into a children’s magazine in the United Arab Emirates for promoting, according to authorities, homosexuality. The May issue of Majid Magazine, a popular comic for kids in the Arab world published by Abu Dhabi Media and sold in a number of countries, was withdrawn last week, as it depicted a multi-coloured character. “Amazing, I have the capability to colour things… Ali will wish to become like me,” reads one line. The term “homosexual” and “like me” in Arabic are “mithli,” which both spell and sound the same. Some social media users claim this was done on purp… Read More View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — With rainbow flags adorning the streets around Montrose Avenue and Broadway Street and rainbow-clad people staking claims to sidewalk spots near colorful floats, it became official: The annual Chicago Pride Parade was back. The parade was canceled the past two years due to COVID-19 restrictions. But at noon Sunday it returned, stepping off in the Uptown neighborhood. It will end at the corner of Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road in Lincoln Park, traversing its traditional route along Broadway and Halsted Street. “People keep telling me how excited they are,” Tim Frye, the parade’s o… Read More View the full article

Published by uPolitics.com A new Ohio bill that would allow for genital exams to be administered if the sex of a student was disputed is being debated by Ohio’s state representatives. Bill 151 is meant for any student who decides to go into sports, and their gender is disputed. Critics say that the law specifically targets transgender youth unfairly. State Rep. Jessica Miranda (D-Ohio) said abuses could come about from the law, which passed the Republican-controlled Ohio House. “We stand to protect all children from child sexual abuse … as state-sanctioned child sexual abuse, which we believe this particular piece of le… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Gwladys Fouche OSLO (Reuters) -A Norwegian court on Monday identified the suspect in a deadly rampage at a gay bar in Oslo as Zaniar Matapour, a Norwegian citizen of Iranian origin, as the city prepared a demonstration of solidarity to honour the victims later on Monday. Matapour, whom police have described as a radicalised Islamist with a history of mental illness, is accused of killing two people and injuring 21 on Saturday, the day the city was due to celebrate its annual Pride parade. He was apprehended by passers-by who chased him down the street. Police arrived at the scene five minutes after receiving the first emergency calls and took him into custody. The Oslo district court will decide on Monday the initial terms of Matapour’s detention during the investigation into the mass shooting. He will undergo a psychiatric evaluation as part of that, police said. Hours later, members of the city’s LGBTQ community will gather in front of Oslo Town Hall. Monday also marks the anniversary of New York’s Stonewall riots of June 1969, seen as the protests that gave birth to the international gay rights movement. Intelligence services said they had been aware of Matapour since 2015 and that he had been part of a network of Islamist extremists in Norway. “Around 2015 we were worried about this person,” Roger Berg, acting head of Norway’s police intelligence service, PST, told private broadcaster TV2 on Saturday. “We have followed him, to a degree. In more recent times, he was not one of the people we were the most worried about. “We assess everyone who are part of these networks … The information we had did not give us ground for further worry, which would mean we would follow him very closely.” The suspect’s lawyer, John Christian Elden, did not reply to a request for comment when contacted by Reuters. He told TV2 it was not possible to draw any conclusions about the motives or reasons for the attack. “It is far too early to do so,” he said. Matapour is accused of murder, attempted murder and terrorism. His response to the accusations is not known. Matapour moved to Norway as a child with his parents, tabloid VG reported. As an adult, he lived in Oslo, became a father and for several years his main source of income was benefits, it said. (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche; editing by John Stonestreet) View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Fireworks sparked a mass panic in Washington Square Park Sunday, sending throngs of celebrants of Pride weekend scrambling from the area, police said. Thousands of Pride revelers swarming the park panicked about 8:50 p.m. when fireworks were let off — a noise many mistook for gunshots. Video posted to Twitter show scores of terrified people running from the famed park. “People totally freaked out,” said one witness, who asked not to be named. “We heard two loud bangs and everyone just started running at the same time. People were just running every direction.” “Who would light firew… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Pink has declared any of her fans who support the overturning of Roe v. Wade should never listen to her music again. The pop star has weighed in on the US Supreme Court’s decision last week which ended protections on women’s right to abortions, meaning several states will now move forward with plans to ban or restrict the procedures – and Pink has now voiced her outrage. In a candid post to her 31.5 million Twitter followers, she wrote: “Let’s be clear: if you believe the government belongs in a woman’s uterus, a gay persons business or marriage, or that racism is okay – then please in the name of your lord never f*****g listen to my music again.” The 1973 Roe v Wade battle centred around ‘Jane Roe’ – a pseudonym for Norma McCorvey. She was a single mother pregnant for the third time who wanted an abortion, and sued the Dallas attorney general Henry Wade over a Texas law that made it a crime to terminate a pregnancy except in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother’s life was in danger – arguing the law infringed on her constitutional rights. The ruling was overturned on Friday (24.06.22) and there has been an outpouring of anger from celebrities including Madonna, who declared she feels “scared” for her daughters. The 63-year-old singer- who is mum to Lourdes, 25, Rocco, 21, David and Mercy, both 16, and nine-year-old twins Stella and Estere – said she has been “plunged into deep despair”. In a post on Instagram, she wrote: “I woke up to the terrifying news that Roe V Wade had been overturned and that. Legislation has decided that we no longer have rights as women over our bodies. This decision has plunged me and every other woman in this country into deep despair … I am scared For my daughters. I’m scared for all women in America. I am just plain scared.” Other stars to have spoken out against the ruling include Lizzo, Tiffany Haddish, Halle Berry, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday expanded the religious rights of government employees by ruling in favor of a Christian former public high school football coach in Washington state who sued after being suspended from his job for refusing to stop leading prayers with players on the field after games. In the latest of a series of Supreme Court rulings taking a broad view of religious liberty, the justices in a 6-3 decision sided with Joseph Kennedy, who until 2015 served as a part-time assistant football coach in the city of Bremerton and has since become a cause celebre for conservative Christian activists. The court’s conservative justices were in the majority and its liberal members in dissent. The ruling, authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, rejected the local school district’s concerns that in a public school setting Kennedy’s prayers and Christian-infused speeches could be seen as coercive to students or a governmental endorsement of a particular religion in violation of the First Amendment’s so-called establishment clause. The Supreme Court held that Kennedy’s actions were protected by his own rights under the First Amendment, which protects free speech and religious expression. The justices overturned a lower court’s ruling siding with the school district, which suspended him in 2015 after Kennedy repeatedly defied directions from officials to stop the post-game prayers while on duty and rebuffed their offers for him to use private locations in the school as an alternative. Powered by its conservative majority, the Supreme Court in recent years has expanded individual and corporate religious rights while narrowing the separation between church and state. The Bremerton school district argued that Kennedy “made a spectacle” of delivering prayers and speeches, invited students to join him and courted media attention while acting in his capacity as a government employee. Some parents said their children felt compelled to participate. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year ruled against Kennedy, finding that local officials would have violated the First Amendment’s ban on government establishment of religion if they let his actions continue. Kennedy served as a coach at his alma mater, Bremerton High School, from 2008 to 2015. His lawyers assert that he “lost his job” because of his actions, suing in 2016. Kennedy sought a court order to be reinstated as a coach, accusing officials of religious discrimination and violating his free speech rights. Kennedy initially appeared to comply with directions to stop the prayers while on duty, the district said, but later refused and made media appearances publicizing the dispute, attracting national attention. After repeated defiance, he was placed on paid leave from his seasonal contract and did not re-apply as a coach for the subsequent season. Officials have pointed out that Kennedy no longer lives in the school district and has moved to Florida. He has said he would return if he got his job back. First Liberty Institute, a conservative religious rights group, helped represent Kennedy in the case. The Supreme Court has issued a series of rulings this year on religious rights. On June 21, it endorsed the use of public money to pay for students to attend religious schools in a Maine case. On May 2, it backed a Christian group that sought to fly a flag emblazoned with a cross at Boston city hall. On March 24, it directed Texas to grant a convicted murderer on death row his request to have his Christian pastor lay hands on him and audibly pray during his execution. In other religious rights rulings in recent years, the Supreme Court broke down barriers for public money to go to religious schools and churches and exempted family-owned corporations from a federal requirement regarding employee insurance coverage for women’s birth control on religious grounds. It also sided with a Catholic organization receiving public money that barred LGBT people from applying to be foster parents and backed a Christian baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by BANG Showbiz English Olivia Rodrigo is “devastated and terrified” after the Supreme Court terminated the constitutional right to abortion in the US. The 19-year-old pop star was appearing at Glastonbury music festival on Saturday (25.06.22) and welcomed fellow singer Lily Allen onto the stage to perform a duet of her 2008 hit ‘F*** You’ as a reaction to the overturning of the landmark Roe v Wade ruling. Olivia said: “I’m devastated and terrified. So many women and so many girls are going to die because of this. I wanted to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who have showed us that at the end of the day, they truly don’t give a s*** about freedom. The song is for the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you! We hate you.” However, the ‘drivers license’ hitmaker – who shot to global fame back in 2020 after her music went viral on Instagram – was thrilled to be at the annual music festival in Worthy Farm sharing the stage with Lily, who could be seen swearing with her middle fingers as Olivia rhymed off the names of the justices. She told the crowd: “This is actually my first Glastonbury and I’m sharing this stage with Lily, this is the biggest dream come true ever. But I’m also equally as heartbroken about what happened in America yesterday!” The song – which was written by Lily back in 2008 and featured on her sophomore album ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ – was initially inspired by then-President George W. Bush, who Lily described as a “f****** a********.” Some of the lyrics include: “F***you, f*** you very very much We hate what you and we hate your whole crew, so please don’t stay in touch.” View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Black people are more likely to be jailed for weapons possession than other New Yorkers — giving public defenders and civil rights advocates reason to support last week’s Supreme Court ruling expected to ease the process of getting a license to carry a gun. The defense lawyers’ unlikely alliance with the NRA-affiliated group of New York gun owners who brought the Supreme Court case is based partly on the argument that New York’s laws restricting gun owners’ right to carry weapons had racist underpinnings. “Society as a whole has a dramatically different view of Black people carrying… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters SCHLOSS ELMAU, Germany (Reuters) – Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations mocked the macho image of their absent adversary Vladimir Putin on Sunday, at a meeting in Germany dominated by the Russian President’s invasion of Ukraine. As the besuited leaders sat down for their first meeting of the three-day G7 summit in the sweltering Bavarian Alps, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked if their jackets should come off – or if they should even disrobe further. “We all have to show that we’re tougher than Putin,” Johnson said, to laughter from some of his colleagues. “Bare-chested horseback riding,” shot back Canada’s Justin Trudeau. “Oh yes,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Horseback riding is the best.” Putin, who prizes his sporty image, has been pictured shirtless several times in photos released by Russian state media, including one set in which he rode a brown horse while wearing wrap-around sunglasses, a gold chain and army trousers. The G7 leaders discussed efforts to further isolate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, which has killed thousands of people and driven millions from their homes. Britain, Canada, Japan and the United States announced moves to ban imports of Russian gold. The G7 also includes France, Italy and Germany. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Matthias Williams and Peter Graff) View the full article

Published by Al-Araby Turkish police on Sunday forcibly intervened in a Pride march in Istanbul, detaining dozens of demonstrators and an AFP photographer, AFP journalists on the ground said. The governor’s office had banned the march around Taksim square in the heart of Istanbul but protesters gathered nearby under heavy police presence earlier than scheduled. BREAKING: Turkish police break up Istanbul Pride march, detain dozens including media pic.twitter.com/0jxLjLDUOA — BNN Newsroom (@BNNTRnews) As usual Turkish gov’t doesn’t allow the Gay pride march in Istanbul today. Here a police officer is throwing LGBT… Read More View the full article

Published by Sports Illustrated By Thomas Neumann Nassib commemorated Pride Month by revealing a charitable donation on Instagram. View the original article to see embedded media. Carl Nassib is a leader on and off the field for the Las Vegas Raiders, and he further elevated his social impact with a charitable announcement Sunday. Nassib, the first openly gay active player in NFL history, said in an Instagram post that he will match donations to The Trevor Project up to $100,000 in an effort that coincides with Pride Month. “I want to wish everybody a happy Pride Month. I also want to remind people why pride is important to … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Dan Fastenberg and Randi Love NEW YORK (Reuters) – Pride celebrations hosted by LGBTQ communities across the United States this weekend took on a tone of outrage following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion and a wave of anti-transgender legislation. The weekend’s Pride events, which included Sunday parades in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Denver, came on the heels of fervent protests in some of the same cities since Friday, when abortion rights supporters took to the streets to decry the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide. LGBTQ leaders fear the ruling endangers personal freedom beyond abortion rights. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the Court might reconsider other precedents, mentioning specifically the rulings protecting the rights to contraception, same-sex intimacy and gay marriage. “The anti-abortion playbook and the anti-LGBTQ playbook are one and the same. Both are about denying control over our bodies and making it more dangerous for us to live as we are,” Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD, said in a statement. Even before the Supreme Court’s ruling against abortion rights, the LGBTQ community’s Pride month jubilation was weighed down by a raft of Republican-backed state laws that specifically target transgender youth. The measures enacted in several red states bar classroom discussion of gender identity, block access to healthcare to help young people transition, and restrict participation in sports. “This march is going to have more of a serious tone than celebratory, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all,” Krystal Marx, executive director of Seattle Pride, said ahead of that city’s parade, which was expecting half a million attendees on Sunday. At New York City’s Pride parade, women’s health provider Planned Parenthood was the first group to kick off the march. Throngs of people dressed in rainbow colors cheered as Planned Parenthood representatives, holding pink signs that read “Together. We fight for all” started the parade in Manhattan around noon on Sunday. “Everybody please scream for Planned Parenthood!” an announcer called over a loudspeaker. The crowd then began a chant of, “We won’t back down!” (Reporting by Randi Love, Dan Fastenberg and Soren Larson and Gabriella Borter; Editing by Nick Zieminski) View the full article

Published by Knewz By Alex Lang New York (Knewz) — LGBT people experience anxiety and depression at higher rates than other people, according to U.S. Census data. In the most recent findings, about 50 percent of LGBT people reported symptoms of anxiety, according to the data. That figure has held fairly steady since July 2021. The results come as June marks “Pride” month in many communities. That figure is compared to 24.3 percent of non-LGBT adults who say they have anxiety symptoms. Anxiety in LGBT individuals was highest in LGBT people living with kids, the census found. That demographic also had the highest … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Anderson Cooper says Richard Gere made him realise he was gay. The 55-year-old TV host – who is the son of late heiress Gloria Vanderbilt and actor Wyatt Cooper – went to see the ‘Pretty Woman’ actor, 72, starring in the gay-themed play ‘Bent’ back in 1977 with his mother’s friends and knew he was gay when Richard appeared on stage. He said: “They took me to see Richard Gere in Bent, which if anyone doesn’t know about the play Bent, it’s about two gay guys in the concentration camp. I mean the opening scene… It is the gayest thing you can imagine. And this was Richard Gere in 1977 [around the time he was in] ‘Looking for Mr. Goodbar’. He was so beautiful. And I’m there. My mom didn’t go. It was just me and my mom’s two gay friends. And I just remember being like, ‘Oh my God, I’m gay. … I’m totally gay.’ “ The CNN star – who has son Wyatt, two, and Sebastian, four months, via a surrogate and continues to raise them with his ex-boyfriend Benjamin Maisani – went on to reveal that he even got to meet Richard Gere after the show in his dressing room and “couldn’t speak” when he laid eyes on the shirtless star. Speaking on ‘Radio Andy’, he added: “And afterward, Paul Jasmin was friends with Richard Gere. Cause Paul Jasmin took the pictures for ‘American Gigolo’ and we go backstage and Richard Gere is shirtless in his dressing room. And I couldn’t speak. And I had my Playbill and I wanted to get him to autograph it, but I was too — I just couldn’t stop staring at his chest. And so, fast forward to 10 years ago, I was interviewing Richard Gere and I took out the Playbill … and I told him the whole story and I had him sign it. Yeah. He was very tickled with it.” View the full article